Confirmation of acceptance for studies

If you require a Tier 4 Student visa to study with us, before you can apply for your visa you must have a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number to submit as part of your application.

A CAS is a unique reference number that is 14 digits long that is given to you by the University of Brighton. It confirms to the Home Office that you have accepted an unconditional offer and met with the Home Office requirements regarding length of study in the UK and academic progression.

How can I get my CAS number?

To request a CAS number for the University of Brighton, you need to have been made an unconditional offer and firmly accepted it.

The link to the University of Brighton CAS questionnaire will appear in your applicant area of studentcentral under the Visa information tab. Please complete the questionnaire in full, upload copies of all required documents and click submit when you are finished.

We will issue you with a CAS number for the University of Brighton if you meet all of the requirements below:

You must meet the UK Home Office requirements for English language ability

Unless you meet one of the approved exemptions, you must have a valid English language qualification that is equivalent to:

a minimum of level B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) if you will be studying a course at degree-level and above (eg. bachelors, masters, extended masters, Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate, Doctorate).

or

a minimum of level B1 CEFR if you will be studying a course at below degree-level (eg. foundation degree, pre-sessional English course), which must be in the form of a Secure English Language Test (SELT).

If you have already studied in the UK on a student visa (whether the course has been completed or not), your new course of study must represent academic progression from your previous study; it must be at a higher academic level than your previous UK course.

When can I get my CAS number?

Before we can issue you with your CAS number, we will need to assess your completed CAS questionnaire against the UK Home Office regulations.

The deadline for submitting your completed CAS questionnaire is four weeks before the start date of your course but we strongly recommend that you complete your CAS questionnaire as early as possible.

The stated deadline is the last possible chance for you to submit the questionnaire and still receive your CAS number; it does not guarantee that you will also have enough time to apply for and receive your visa.

We cannot guarantee that we will be able to issue you with a CAS number.

A CAS number can only be used in a visa application up to six months after it has been assigned. You are only able to apply for a visa from a maximum of three months before the start of your course – therefore, the University of Brighton will normally issue your CAS number four to five months before the start of your course, providing you have completed and returned your visa questionnaire to us, paid the international tuition fee deposit (unless you are exempt) and met the Home Office requirements.

How will I receive my CAS number?

Once your CAS number has been assigned, the details will be sent to your email address in the form of a CAS statement email, and it will also be visible via your applicant area on studentcentral.

The CAS statement email is for your reference only and will list the information that we have provided to the Home Office.

We will not send out a paper copy of your CAS statement as you do not need this for your visa application. You will need to enter the CAS number on your visa application form, as all details in the CAS statement email will be visible electronically by the Home Office Visa Officer.

What should be in the 'course hours per week' section?

If you are coming to study on a full-time course at the University of Brighton, the ‘hours per week’ section on the CAS statement will always be 0.

The Home Office has set this requirement, so the University of Brighton does not need to make any amendments to this.

How can my CAS number be updated with a fee payments?

Once a payment has been made and cleared by the university's financial system, the Student Visa Compliance team will be notified to update either the ‘course fees paid’ or the ‘accommodation fees paid’ sections on your CAS number. Please note that it can take a minimum of three working days for a payment to clear on our system.

If your CAS number is successfully updated with the payment details, we will send you an email confirming that this amendment has been made.

Please also be aware that if you submit your visa application and your CAS number is used before the payment has cleared, we will not be able to update your CAS number with the payment details.For more information about payment of fees, please visit our how to pay your fees information.

What if details on my CAS statement are incorrect?

You must check that the information in your CAS statement email is correct as soon as you receive it. If any details are not correct or information has not been included, please contact us by emailing casenquiries@brighton.ac.uk. If your passport details are incorrect, please attach a copy of your new passport.

We will only amend the details on the CAS statement if the errors will have an effect on the success of your visa application. For example, if your name, passport number, qualification or fees are incorrect. We will not normally amend spelling mistakes, as these will not result in a visa refusal.

What happens when information is updated on my CAS statement?

If the Student Visa Compliance team updates details on your CAS number, we will send you an email confirming the amendment that has been made.

We do not amend and re-send the CAS statement email once it has initially been produced, even if an update has been made. This is because all the information in the CAS statement is uploaded electronically to the Home Office and any amendments that are made are logged straight onto the Home Office’s live Sponsor Management System; therefore everything will be visible by the Visa Officer.

What happens after the Home Office has processed my visa application?

When the Home Office processes a decision on your visa application, the University of Brighton will be notified. We will then contact you asking you to bring your passport and visa or Biometric Residence Permit card to your nearest University of Brighton Registry Office for scanning.

As a new student you will just need to bring your passport and visa or Biometric Residence Permit card with you to the in-person enrolment in the first week of term, where we will check and scan your documentation.

What happens once I've received my CAS?

Once you've received your CAS you can apply for your Tier 4 Student visa. Please read our advice on making your application first.

I have a Tier 4 Student visa from another university or institution

If you have a Tier 4 (General) Student visa to study at another university in the UK that is not the University of Brighton, you cannot use it to study at the University of Brighton. You will not be able to enrol at the University of Brighton unless you have applied for a visa using a CAS number issued by us.